Former French Open champion Michael Chang believes that current World number one Roger Federer compares with the greatest players of all-time. Since the beginning of 2004, the 25-year-old Federer has a 232-15 win-loss record with 31 titles, including eight of his nine Grand Slam titles.

"If he is not the best, he is certainly up there for sure," Chang told the New York Times. Chang, 34, who retired in 2003, also claimed playing among a generation of baseliners helps Federer's domination, and that had he played in Pete Sampras' era, things might have been different.

"It would be interesting to see them play at both the peak of their careers," continued Chang, remembered by most as the youngest-ever winner of a Grand Slam singles title when he triumphed in the French Open in 1989.

"I think it is a little easier for Federer nowadays because he doesn't have to deal with too many pure serve-and-volleyers.

"I think in Pete's day we had a combination of pure serve-and-volleyers in guys like [Boris] Becker and [Stefan] Edberg and also really strong baseliners as well."

Federer is scheduled to play in tournaments in Madrid, Basel, Paris before the ATP Masters Cup in Shanghai for the season-ending championships.

Thats exactly wat all the greats have finally been seeing and saying, Thank you for finally having the gall to speak up ALL OF YOU. I believe Pat Rafter was the first, last year at Wimbledon to say pete would be the man who could stack up against him, then Boris commented about the serve volleyers and i think someone else may have as well, and now Michael, a baseliner owns up to that Finally.

Thats exactly wat all the greats have finally been seeing and saying, Thank you for finally having the gall to speak up ALL OF YOU. I believe Pat Rafter was the first, last year at Wimbledon to say pete would be the man who could stack up against him, then Boris commented about the serve volleyers and i think someone else may have as well, and now Michael, a baseliner owns up to that Finally.